We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that many people live their lives on autopilot without deeply reflecting on their actions or choices.
Albert Camus points out a common human tendency to engage in daily routines and habits without taking the time to reflect and think critically about the implications of those actions. This highlights the importance of cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness in order to live a more intentional and meaningful life.
In practice
During a motivational speech on self-awareness.
The Poor Man whom everyone speaks of, the Poor Man whom everyone pities, one of the repulsive Poor from whom charitable souls keep their distance, he has still said nothing. Or, rather, he has spoken through the voice of Victor Hugo, Zola, Richepin. At least, they said so. And these shameful impostures fed their authors. Cruel irony, the Poor Man tormented with hunger feeds those who plead his case.
The certainty of a God giving meaning to life far surpasses in attractiveness the ability to behave badly with impunity. The choice would not be hard to make. But there is no choice and that is where the bitterness comes in. The absurd does not liberate; it binds.
Between history and the eternal I have chosen history because I like certainties. Of it, at least, I am certain, and how can I deny this force crushing me.
Don't wait for the last judgment - it takes place every day.
A single sentence will suffice for modern man. He fornicated and read the papers. After that vigorous definition, the subject will be, if I may say so, exhausted.
At times I feel myself overtaken by an immense tenderness for these people around me who live in the same century.
So certainly, if we can tell evil stories to make people sick, we can also tell good myths that make them well.
Wars begin in the minds of men, and in those minds, love andcompassion would have built the defenses of peace.
A large city cannot be experientially known; its life is too manifold for any individual to be able to participate in it.
After every war someone has to tidy up.
Rulers who destroy men's freedom commonly begin by trying to retain its forms. ... They cherish the illusion that they can combine the prerogatives of absolute power with the moral authority that comes from popular assent.
It seems kosher and OK to treat women as objects because the business of cinema is about images and when you have fragmented images of a woman's bosom and her swiveling hip and her twisting navel, it robs the woman of all autonomy and subjects her to the male gaze.
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